From ESPN.com: Marc Stein’s Interview with Vlade

“Back then it bothered me,” Divac said. “From this distance, I am OK. I know we didn’t win [the] championship, but I think we were a championship team.

“People here [in America] are making a big deal about ring or no ring. I was playing against the Lakers and I remember someone [in the crowd] shouted, ‘How many rings you got?’ I told him one. He looked at me [funny], so I said, ‘I got one in ’89 when I got married, I got a ring from my wife.’ That’s the most important thing.”

In a subsequent conversation, Divac adds: “It doesn’t bother me at all. I think we did something special [in Sacramento]. … People around the world, not just in Sacramento, liked to watch [that team]. So that was, right there, [a] big accomplishment for our team. … In my heart, I believe we were the champions. We didn’t win, but we played the way champions should play.”

Typical Vlade. Always a great guy and he always seemed to have things in the proper perspective. You should really take a few minutes, click the link and read the entire piece by Marc Stein. It’s a great glimpse into a great man.

Like CK on Facebook

Find CK on Google+

Follow CK on Twitter

About CK

Founded in 2009, Cowbell Kingdom is a member of the ESPN TrueHoop Network. Its goal is to provide frontline, on-the-ground coverage of the Kings that leads to interesting and thought-provoking discussion amongst readers.